MOTORISTS in Wiltshire have been strongly criticised by the county's police force after more than 1,000 people were caught flaunting seat belt laws.

And police say they are so shocked by the figures they may have to continue the clampdown which carries a fine of £30 for those caught.

The statistics were released after a two-week European-wide seatbelt enforcement campaign was rolled out across Wiltshire.

In total 948 drivers were caught driving on the county's roads without wearing a seatbelt, while 290 passengers were also found to be breaking the law.

And the figures prompted an angry response from a senior officer at Wiltshire police's road policing unit.

Insp Mike Ashford-Smith said: "It's hard to believe that so many people were caught in such a short period of time.

"If this is a reflection on the rate of compliance in the county then motorists can expect this type of enforcement activity to continue until attitudes change.

"Seatbelt legislation has been around for years, but every year the emergency services still attend road collisions where vehicle occupants are being killed or seriously injured as a direct result of not wearing their seatbelt.

"Tragically, there have been very recent serious collisions, one during this campaign, where early investigations have identified a lack of seatbelt use by vehicle occupants.

"Deaths like this should be a thing of the past.

"There is no excuse. Even during short journeys, or those at reduced speeds, the potential for death and injury remains if drivers and their passengers are not strapped in."

Although research shows that 90 per cent of people wear a seat belt in the front of vehicles, only 72 per cent of rear seat passengers, many of whom are children, wear one.

Back seat passengers who do not wear a seat belt are three times more likely to die or suffer serious injury than those who do.

Insp Ashford-Smith added: "Passengers need to be responsible and think not only about the dangers to themselves but to front-seat passengers and drivers as well."

Those who were stopped during the campaign were given £30 fixed penalties.

As drivers are responsible for all passengers under 14 years of age, some received several penalties, for themselves and their young passengers.

"But this isn't about how many people were fined the fact is that far too many vehicle users still aren't wearing seatbelts, and our officers will continue to remind people, through fines or otherwise, to belt up."

"There is some anecdotal evidence that young people who are already in a higher casualty risk group find it uncool' to belt up, especially in the back," said Insp Ashford-Smith.

"Tragically, these young people kill their own friends or relatives when being thrown forward in a collision, where those in the front can suffer horrific injuries such as a broken neck or massive head injury.